cuts and are wondering why they must bare the brunt of Budget cut-backs.

Many commuters questioned by The Royal Gazette on Thursday's 5.20 p.m. ferry out of Hamilton wondered why the schedule-slashing was not "spread out'' over other ferry routes and Government departments.

The cuts, which eliminated the 7 a.m. ferry into town and the last two evening trips to Somerset, are causing headaches for many who work in Hamilton.

Only one commuter said she had "no problem with the new schedule'' -- mainly because it did not conflict with her "strictly 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.'' work day.

The rest of the responses were not so accommodating.

"Ridiculous! There's nothing more to say -- it's just plain and absolutely ridiculous,'' said Mr. Ralph Perinchief, a self-employed carpenter and cabinet-maker. "Now its just a tourist ferry, not a commuter ferry. Don't we come first? We're the ones who pay the taxes!'' Mr. Perinchief said those who start work earlier in the day -- especially those in the construction industry -- have been hit hard by the changes.

"Anything that gets us in Hamilton before 8 a.m. so we can make work is fine,'' he said, adding that even a "9-to-5 job'' rarely stays within those hours.

"What do you do if you're on the telephone to a client after 5 p.m.? Tell them `Sorry, I have to leave and catch my ferry'? Even a 5.45 p.m. ferry would make more sense.'' Financial comptroller Miss Lisa Kikkert concurred saying: "I do not have a 9-to-5 job by any stretch of the imagination. They could have scheduled one between 5.20 p.m. and 6 p.m.

"And I work on Saturdays, which means I can't get into Hamilton until 10.45 a.m. now.'' Miss Kikkert also wondered what will happen when the tourist season is in full swing, and the ferries to the West End become more crowded.

"The other day, a group of visitors got on the 5.20 p.m. ferry, and it was standing room only the whole way,'' she said.

Apologetic Government officials and politicians have suggested the ferry regulars try the bus system -- which has been called "atrocious'' by Shadow Minister for Transport Mr. Walter Lister MP.

Last week, chairman of the Passenger Transport Committee, UBP MP Mr. Anthony Correia said he could not understand why people did not like travelling on the buses.

But ferry-fans were clearly not enthralled with the idea of "being stuffed in a bus'' every morning or evening.

"I've tried the bus,'' said one commuter who asked that her name be withheld.

"But I end up standing all the way from Hamilton to Somerset.'' Another anonymous patron on Thursday's ferry was more blunt about the authorities' ideas on public transportation.

"Tell those politicians with their BMWs, second cars and reserved parking spaces to try using the ferry and buses from Somerset for a week themselves,'' he said. "Let's see how much they like it.'' Gorham's Lumber Company employee Mr. Martin Hassell said the cuts have been "very annoying'' for him -- including the early morning bus ride he must now take to make work by 8 a.m.

"I would like to see the early morning ferry reinstated,'' he said. According to Transport Minister the Hon. Ralph Marshall, Government will save almost $100,000 per year with the first and last ferries gone.

He said "only 10 to 15 people'' were riding the 7 a.m. from Somerset and the 6 p.m. from Hamilton, making them unprofitable.

This reasoning was shot down by people who rode those ferries each day.

"There are other areas where they can cut costs,'' said an anonymous rider who was a regular on the 7 a.m. ferry to Hamilton for years. "The point is, public transport is a facility which should be there irrespective of how often its used.

"If just one old lady catches the bus, it should run for that one old lady who needs to go shopping once a week.'' Several people on the ferry questioned the method used by Marine & Ports to survey riders before the cuts were made final, calling it "sloppy'', "inadequate'' and "incomplete''.

Two route regulars said the questionnaires were handed out to patrons on the 5.20 p.m. ferry one day, and on the 6 p.m. ferry the next.

"That's it, just two days,'' said one of the women. "If you weren't on either of those particular ferries, your opinion wasn't considered.''